A Refresher Course

So many varieties of lilies, and all  beautiful in their own unique way.

They look as if someone took a paint brush and painted each petal individually.  Such beautiful rich color, looking like very fine fabric.  And I’m reminded of what Our Savior said,

…consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin, and yet….even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

…therefore take no thought saying, ‘what shall we eat…drink…wear; your Heavenly Father knows that you have need for all these things.  Seek first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto.

Take…no thought for [tomorrow]; [the things of tomorrow] will take care of itself.  [There is enough to do by dealing with today], and the evil [in it].

 

What a sweet, beautiful lesson:

• what God has made is more beautiful and wonderful than anything man made
• we don’t need to try so hard, or spend so much time thinking about providing for ourselves
• Our Father sees us, and will not forget about us
• changing focus of thought, changes perspective, and makes room for Our Father to move on our behalf
• we have a Father; one who loves us and will take care of us better than we can possibly imagine.

 

 

 

Spiritual Masters Class

…the Spirit requires not only a service of work but also a service of waiting.

When I cannot understand my Father’s leading,

And it seems to be but hard and cruel fate,

Still I hear that gentle whisper ever pleading,

God is working, God is faithful, ONLY WAIT.

For the past couple of days, I have had a very strong sense that I should be sharing this particular passage-I don’t know exactly why.

What I do know is that when we chose to embark on the Journey that Lord has set aside for us, it will seem foolish to others; ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU KNOW DEEP DOWN THAT YOU ARE BEING INSTRUCTED TO WAIT.  To some people around you, it will look as if you are lazy and using the Lord as an excuse to be so, when in fact you are in a deeper relationship with Our Father than you were before.

I myself have been on a this Journey for a couple of years now, and it has intensified over the past 12 months.  Seriously, it feels as if I have been in a Spiritual Masters Class where the instructor is Jesus himself, and the lesson I have been learning is distinguishing HIS VOICE from others, distinguishing HIS WILL from what society thinks is acceptable.  WAITING ON THE LORD, A LAMP UNTO MY FEET AND A LIGHT UNTO MY PATH, are the ONLY things being taught at this time.

To be honest, the past weeks, I had been feeling so stagnant and it seemed that my zeal was gone.  But I kept hearing a resounding, “Do you trust ME?”  Ultimately, yes I do, otherwise I wouldn’t have completely surrendered my entire life to HIM, including my financial situation.  (A story for another time.)  Along with the deepening relationship with the Lord comes an alienation because the ones closest to you, the ones who would normally be your cheerleaders, will not find reason to cheer.  And I’m learning not to take it personally because “we wrestle not against flesh and blood”, it’s a spirit and heart thing.

So, take courage and be confident that Our Father has you, knows the needs you have.  And as HE told me many months ago, “Take care of MY business, I’ll take care of your business.”  You may not be a millionaire yet, and obeying HIM may be an absolute struggle sometimes.  Just remember, “obedience is better than sacrifice.”  HE never puts you in a situation that HE can’t handle.  Just WAIT, “BE STILL and know that I’m God.”  It won’t be difficult forever.

You’re not lazy because you have chosen to have God’s PERFECT WILL in your life.  Quite the opposite because you, indeed, ARE DOING something when you ARE BEING still, WAITING for His voice.  And with that, believe it or not, you are learning to have “PEACE THAT SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING.”

Fun, Stompin’ & Rompin’

On the days my nephew comes over,

it’s always fun and games.

This is going to be a very good day

Wow…

…this much time went by since my last post?! Forgive me, did not mean to ignore you. I hope all has been going well for you guys On this end of things, it seems that FATHER has been doing some “house cleaning”, as I like to put it-dusting some things off, and getting rid of others-that is NEVER easy, but good for us, Amen???

I have been reading your wonderful postings, and the LORD really uses each and everyone of you, in your own special unique ways-either a typography post, a poem, a thought, or a comment, you guys bless my heart so much.

I truly love this community…my home, my niche

Very Inspired…

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While reading a fellow blogger’s post  this mornig, I was reminded how a rose, when it’s withered or crushed, gives a more beautiful fragrance, more so than before that state. It doesn’t become a different flower because it’s withering. And although the physical beauty is diminished, the fragrance on the inside is enhanced and more dominant in this new situation, if you will.

 No matter the pain and suffering we may endure in this life (nobody is immune), if we are steadfast within ourselves, the person GOD has created us to be, and not compromise who we are during  a low point, OUR FATHER in HEAVEN gives us beauty for our ashes. Our beauty, our fragrance that is on the inside of us, comes out because of the anointing which is upon us, while HIS HANDS are resting upon us.

I’m so happy and thankful that I read that post this morning. In a few words, I was reminded of so much! That we are all truly valuable and loved.

The Photo

      ‘A brilliantly taken shot; the black and white really makes this a beautiful photograph, and I love how the path seems endless and diminishes.’

That was my initial reaction when I saw this tonight. As I began to study it, I found myself over come with a sense that this is how many feel about “being single”:

Sad/depressed (the black and white), nobody else on the path with you, not wanting to come to the end by yourself but with someone by your side, someone may cross our path but don’t always continue on with you, for whatever reason, etc.

By the way, I really don’t like the term “single”…you’ll understand why by the time you’ve finished reading this post.

It was the latter which struck a chord in me, ‘not wanting to come the end by yourself…’ (A very scary thought for some of us because, in a nutshell, we don’t want to grow old alone.)

Simultaneously, a thought came to me that during our “black and white” moments in our life, unexpected POPS OF COLOR will be given to us in unexpected ways.  Encouraging words from someone or others in your life whom you never thought “paid you any mind”, or, my personal favorite, a small interaction with a child whom you may know, or not know, or have never seen before, and may never see again.  I can’t begin to tell you how many times that has happened to me.  After such and encounter, I would realize that ‘God did that to help me realize that I am loved and appreciated in ways I’m not paying attention to because it’s not coming from a significant other.’  Those moments will come to you, too, or may have happened already.

The point of all this?  ”Being single” doesn’t actually mean you are alone.  PERIOD!  You’ll run into loneliness from time-to-time.  I won’t lie to you, but that’s when you’ll need to remember that the loneliness will not last forever, it’s short-lived, and that you are not alone.  BELIEVE ME.  Even when “that voice” in your mind is telling you the opposite, there is a GREATER VOICE  saying always, “I LOVE YOU.  YOU ARE MADE IN OUR IMAGE AND LIKENESS.  I NUMBERED THE HAIRS ON YOUR HEAD.  YOU BELONG TO ME.”

Connections

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The thought hit me today, after a wonderful encounter with a fellow blogger and believer, about the importance of connections and who and what we allow ourselves to be connected to. And I thought of connection cables and fiber optic cables. Information flowing at high speed, but what if the connection is wrong? If something is plugged in the incorrect port, nothing is going to happen that you want to happen.

Who are we allowing in our camp? WHAT are we allowing in our camp? We are to minister to others, and not judge each other, true. Are there things or someone in the camp (our close circle/closest to our heart) that/whom we’ve allowed in that should not be? Is our connection with the LORD clear? Are we connected to things here, or are we connected to the CORRECT SOURCE? 

For some, the answer is easy, but for others, we may need to unhook from some things and/or someone, or unhook from a group. If you have to compromise your faith in the LORD in order to stay connected to someone or something, unhook. If you feel you have to down play the giftings that GOD HIMSELF has placed within you,unhook.  And the thought of unhooking may seem and might very well be painful, because a deep connection, that it may seem like a knife being stuck so far inside, that if you pull it out, you’ll bleed to death. Not so. When we are doing what needs to be done, because it’s the right thing in THE LORD’S EYES, HE’LL be there “in case” you start to feel overwhelming pain. And it just may surprise you, that the pain you THOUGHT WOULD BE THERE, will actually have been taken away before you felt it, and you’ll be made strong. That’s how it was for me today.

Something, or someone (will be vague this time), that I unhooked from and thought so painful, was actually something I needed to do, and I found that GOD HIMSELF replaced it with something even better. 

I’ve come to learn that a real GOD connection, will not only validate you as person, and not bring you down, but will, also, give correction when correction is needed; much like a sister or brother would do. 

Truly, this was one amazing day…